Crop rotation confusion!

stargirl73

I have had an allotment for circa 18 months and it's going reasonably well!

But despite doing everything I should have for the brassica bed, they did miserably.

I prepared the soil well, added lime, firmed it down well, built a netting structure to keep off the butterflies and watered them well but they were awful.

So I've given up on 'em!

Maybe not forever - just til I get everything else under control and try again.

I know - I'm a quitter!

But that's thrown my bed rotation plan into disarray.

Anyone got a suggestion for a rotation that doesn't include brassicas?

Thanks

StarGirl

lily_the_pink

What did you grow - maybe try some different varieties or different veg. I found calabrese quite easy to grow and I do actually enjoy eating it. Kale is also supposed to be fairly easy to grow. My brussel sprouts were a disaster - but a lot of people had problems this year.

conradmum

I had problems with brassicas for a few years. Then I realised the problem wasn't me - it was the brassicas! They have about a million pests that love them. My solution was to cover them in fleece all their short lives. End of problems. Don't give up on brassicas yet - they're so good for you!:rotfl:

angelavdavis

Could it be you are being affected by cabbage rootfly? I don't know where you are in the UK, but ours suffered because of the dry summer - that could be something to do with it. Drought will mean that the plants are more susceptible to the bugs.

~Chameleon~

Apologies if this subject has already been covered, and I'm sure I've asked a similar question before but I seem to have mislaid my plans and lists

I cleared my brassica bed yesterday (just a few cabbages left which will be eaten over the next couple weeks) so I'm wondering what to grow in there next

The problem I have is that the WSB crop I lifted was quite badly infested with whitefly and aphids, much worse than I originally suspected, and some has fallen into the soil when I pulled them out

My new winter brassicas are at the other end of the garden and were covered with micro-netting as soon as they went in the ground so fingers crossed they will be ok!

The only crops I've recently sown that will need to be put out later are pak choi and lettuces, will they be ok in this bed or will they also get attacked by any residual whitefly/aphids? I also still have some late spuds chitting, but I think the soil might be too poor them on that plot

wattapain

Hi - well the genneral 'rule' for rotation is
'pots, roots, legs & bras'
so you should be fine following the bras(sicas) with spuds, then next year beans (legumes) then .... etc etc.
I think lettuces can go anywhere any time though - nt sure re pak choi.

Mind you having said all that & I really do try to rotate stuff, I find that I am growing my toms in the same bed this year - :think: - well it's the best place for them - lots of sun etc - and they ARE raised beds:rolleyes:
Terri

~Chameleon~

I think I'll try some lettuces and the pak choi on this plot for now and once they've finished I've decided to put my strawberries in there (currently in baskets) as I think the ground is too dry and stony for pots and roots.

I love your little rhyme though, will certainly help me remember the rotation orders now :T

Larumbelle

My 'utility veg' beds follow a three year rotation; legumes followed by brassicas followed by 'other stuff' - onions, and carrots mainly. Can swiss chard be included in rotation with the carrots?

~Chameleon~

You can basically plant it anywhere!

I've got several clumps of both normal and rainbow chard growing wherever I have some spare room, including in flower beds